Repositório RCAAP

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects millions of people worldwide and results from two major pathological hallmarks, neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. The latter are derived from the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the amyloidogenic pathway, which is avoided by the  a-secretase ADAM10. This study aimed to evaluate ADAM10 levels and activity in different biological media of individuals with AD, comparing these findings with those obtained in subjects without cognitive impairment, in order to contribute to the diagnostic reinforcement of the disease. 

Play at 60, have leisure, and play using technology? Those over 60 and using digital and non-digital games have certainly overcome, and still overcome, many prejudices, and are open to countless realities, possibilities and playful learning. This study aims to understand the meanings and the importance of playfulness in, and for, old age, especially playful leisure. For this, the main topics covered and their references are: aging (Beauvoir); leisure (Cabeza), the various types of leisure and in particular valuable leisure, as a complement to active aging that can make it satisfactory; the games (Gallo); the sense of playfulness for the elderly, providing subsidies for the understanding of playfulness and its benefits, from the point of view of the elderly (Matos, 2006). In a participant observation by the author herself, the research has as reference the activities with digital and non-digital games, 2015-2019, 1104 hours, 2 hours a week, to 65 elderly people, attended in three day centers for the elderly in Sao Paulo, SP, in the Bom Retiro, Saúde and Guaianases neighborhoods. Activities with games in day centers, which are stated as opportunities to discover a playful and very valuable leisure for the elderly. 

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el reconocimiento del síndrome locomotor (SLo), sus implicaciones y las estrategias de prevención adoptadas por los ancianos de larga vida. Se trata de un estudio transversal con 56 ancianos ≥ 80 años, atendidos en un servicio público de salud de São Paulo. Los ancianos diagnosticados de SLo fueron seleccionados mediante el cuestionario de la Escala Geriátrica de Función Locomotora (GLFS-25) de 25 ítems. Luego se recolectaron datos sociodemográficos y se evaluaron las actividades básicas e instrumentales de la vida diaria mediante el Índice de Independencia en las Actividades de la Vida Diária de Sydney Katz y Escala de Lawton, respectivamente. La segunda etapa consistió en investigar el reconocimiento, implicaciones y prevención de SLo, a través de un cuestionario. Se encontró que la mayoría de los ancianos longevos no reconocen esta condición (74,23%), pero comprenden las consecuencias adversas de los problemas en el órgano locomotor (69,6%). Sin embargo, la mayoría tenía barreras para practicar actividades físicas y prevenir SLo.

The longevity risk is conceptualized as the probability that the resources destined for retirement payments will end before the end of a person´s life. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the main mechanisms for hedge of longevity risk in Pension Funds. The results indicate that the main strategies are in the annuity and insurance market. It is suggested to deepen the studies on the double benefit of investments in longevity business, such as hedging strategy and generation of health, well-being and longevity. 

 Cognitive and functional impairment, among others, are factors that contribute to the institutionalization of the elderly. The objective was to compare samples of elderly aged 60 years and over, resident in long-term care institutions, regarding gender, age, income, physical health conditions, frailty, depressive symptoms, cognition and to identify relationships between these variables. Cross-sectional study with 479 elderly. Most are long-lived women with cognitive decline, dependence on basic activities of daily living, high prevalence of sarcopenia and frailty syndrome. 

This is a descriptive study, conducted with elderly individuals monitored in primary health care individuals followed up in Primary Health Care, within Rio Branco, capital of the state of Acre, northern region of Brazil, with the objective of identifying the sociodemographic profile, lifestyle and health situation of these elderly people. The research data can support policies, actions and programs for the prevention and care of the elderly in the region, in addition to guiding the need for services and the implementation of specific programs, such as the attention to women's health in the climacteric / menopause and the performance of the Health Centers. Support to Family Health. 

The present research aimed to know the opinions of a group of 67 elderly people who, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, were treated in university geriatric outpatient clinics, wondering about the feelings arising from the pandemic and the quality of life (QOL) in three moments (before and during the pandemic and the expectation of what it will be like in the post-pandemic). Less than a month after the quarantine began, 76.1% mentioned words that focused on negative feelings. When asked about QOL before the start of the pandemic, 82.1% considered it to be very good / good and 17.9%, as regular. During the pandemic, it was classified as good / very good by 43.3%; regular by 1.3%; and bad / very bad by 25.4%. The dimension of QOL most affected at this time was the social dimension, with quarantine being frequently referred to as “prison”. As for the QOL expectation after the end of the pandemic, we had: very good / good at 73.1%; regular by 13.4%; and bad / very bad, at 13.4%. Therefore, the elderly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, need to be the focus of actions and planning aimed at maintaining their well-being and satisfaction, which is directly related to their ability to overcome difficulties and obstacles. 

Aging affects different systems compromising organic homeostasis. At this context, relation between intestinal microbiota and different systems such as immune and nervous has been shown, and modifications in this composition using probiotics or therapy based in foods may create new preventive and therapeutic options for conditions and pathologies associated to aging.  

According to current publications that address the prevention strategies and treatment of sarcopenia, the role of physical activity and adequate nutrition is indisputable. The aim of this study was to review the main scientific findings on the prevention of sarcopenia in the elderly, focusing on actions involving nutrition and physical exercise, discussing some points that are already a consensus in the literature, and others that still need more evidence or research with better methodological quality. 

We have investigated the differences related to oral health status between urban and rural elderly, including oral health self-care, habits and access to dental service characteristics. Data was obtained from Brazilian National Health Survey (2013). According to geographic area we have found different profiles. Urbans demonstrated better indicators of oral health status, more use of technology to appoint a dentistry consultation and less looking for treatment because oral pathology than rural elderly. 

The growth of the elderly population in Brazil allows us to make several reflections, one of them is about the relationship between health and spirituality / religiosity, mainly because we are heirs of cultural history that was inherited by Portuguese and European colonists. This study aims to verify the religious affiliation of octogenarians from the samples were for convenience and in a simple random way from a study of the elderly who sought the Geriatrics outpatient clinic at the Catholic University of Brasilia. A comparison of the responses received to the questionnaires was performed, according to socio-demographic and spirituality / religiosity variables (gender, age group, education, family income, self-rated health, practice of spirituality / religiosity). The results found show that when the aging process starts, religiosity / spirituality can be a protective factor when the losses intensify. 

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The objective of this study was to analyze the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and functional capacity (FC) in elderly candidates for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and to compare the results found in elderly without previous cardiovascular event. Cross-sectional study in which HGS was assessed by manual dynamometry and FC by the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and the six-minute step test (6MST). The findings show that the HGS correlated with the FC, measured by the 6MST in elderly candidates for CR and elderly without previous cardiovascular event. 

The purpose of this article was to describe, through an experience report, the development of a preventive educational intervention on anxiety for elderly people in times of COVID-19. The activities were linked to the discipline of Collective Health Practices, at the Catholic University of Brasília, and involved: opinion polling and the elaboration of health content on an Instagram profile. It was observed that the intervention was effective and enabled health promotion in old age. 

The aim of this study was to assess adherence, perception of social distance and the role of physical activity in the elderly from a university extension program with remote activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 60 elderly people. A questionnaire with questions about adherence to classes, perception of social distance, the role of physical activity and sociodemographic variables was used. The results showed participants' adherence to classes, ambivalent perceptions about distance and the importance of physical activity in terms of social and physical aspects. Remote classes have become a new reality for the elderly in the face of the pandemic, as a way of maintaining a routine of activities, benefiting from social approach and physical and mental well-being. 

Objetivou-se investigar os assuntos veiculados pela mídia jornalística do Distrito Federal, a respeito da velhice e COVID-19.  Foram analisadas 74 matérias veiculadas no jornal Correio Braziliense entre 8 de março e 10 de maio de 2020. A análise textual, conduzida pelo IRaMuTeQ, resultou em cinco classes de palavras: Desenvolvimento da Pandemia; Medidas; Ambiente; Atenção ao Idoso; e Saúde e Pesquisa. A representação da velhice foi plural e associada à doença, proteção, vida pública e os programas para idosos.  

It is an experience report about care to elderly people through digital tools treatment. Where the social support strategies of the Interdisciplinar Nucleus of Research and Extension to Health Care of the Family in Conviability with Diseases (NIEFAM) is described, the context of the extension to promotion of a healthy day-to-day of its participants. Educational video classes prepared by the students, professors and professionals were used due to the group care demands about the coping with non-transmissive chronicle diseases. The objective is to stimulate people’s adaptive competences, their latent resources, comprehended here as as resiliences, the capacity of flexibility and adaptation to what the atual context strongly imposes: the coping with non-transmissive chronicle diseases, during social isolation times, due to COVID-19. 

The objective was to identify the Social Representations (RS) about quarantine among Brazilian elderly women. 69 elderly women, aged between 60 and 87 years, participated in the study. Sociodemographic questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and the technique of free word association were used. The data on the SR were processed by the IRaMuTeQ software. Distinctions were found in the quarantine SR according to the income of the elderly. It is concluded that social inequalities can imply the social isolation of elderly women. 

The aim of this pilot study was to assess the functional health literacy, psychological and physical risk factors for falling in institucionalized elderly, including fear of falling, functional mobility, static and dynamic balance. The importance of considering these aspects in association in future studies on older people was discussed. 

Sarcopenia was initially described as a reduction in overall muscle mass, which occurs throughout the aging process. Some publications have shown that the definition and classification of sarcopenia are not fully established and the categorization of this syndrome has undergone changes, as noted in the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) publications. Therefore, the objective of the study was to present the prevalence of sarcopenia using the classifications proposed by EWGSOP1 and 2 in long-lived elderly (> 80 years) in the Federal District. This is a cross-sectional study in which the following variables were assessed: sociodemographic, muscle mass by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), muscle strength by hydraulic dynamometer and physical performance using the 4,6 meters. Participated in the study 117 elderly people with a mean age of 83.7 ± 3.51. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 3.5% and 4.3% by the EWGSOP1 and 2 algorithms, respectively. By EWGSOP1, 94% of the sample was classified as no sarcopenia and 3.5% as sarcopenic. By EWGSOP2, 50% were classified as probable sarcopenia, 43% as no sarcopenia and 4.3% as sarcopenic. The results allow to verify the divergences in the prevalence of sarcopenia in the adopted criteria, mainly between the classification of pre-sarcopenia and probable sarcopenia. Thus, it is noted the importance of continuing studies that deepen the investigation of these classifications, especially in long-lived elderly.